07.12.2020

Dear Parent/Carer

I hope you are well and that you are finding a way through the ongoing, difficult times.

As you will be aware, we have continued to experience an increase in the number of positive cases of Covid 19 amongst children and adults across our borough.  As a result, many of our children and young people have experienced disruption in their learning, as they have either become unwell or they have been required to self-isolate.  School leaders and staff work very hard to implement rigorous and robust safety measures on their sites and to do as much as they can to provide quality learning experiences.  Your support and understanding in this situation is greatly appreciated.

The school term is due to end on Friday, 18^th December, 2020.  However, the local authority, in discussion with head teachers, has agreed that the last day of on-site learning for pupils will be Wednesday, 16^th December.  Schools will provide blended learning for the other two days off site and those entitled to free school meals will have them provided for these two days.

During this last week of term, some schools may also have planned or may be re-scheduling Inset days.  Your individual Headteacher will contact you to outline their respective arrangements. Please contact the school to discuss any specific concerns.

It is also possible that some schools will need to move to blended learning earlier than Thursday, 17^th December, if sufficient staffing levels cannot be secured.

The local authority and school communities are absolutely committed to offering the best provision under increasingly difficult circumstances and we recognise how worrying this situation must be for you.

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy a safe, family Christmas and that we will all look forward together to a new year.

Keri Cole, Chief Education Officer, Caerphilly County Borough Council.